The Power of Prayer

James 5:14–19 ESV

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back,

I. Strife of Prayer

James 5:16 KJV 1900

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

the words effectual and fervent come from the same Greek word: Energeo. It means to work or be in action. It gives the picture of one who would wrestle.

It brings to mind the image of Jacob who wrestled with God. Gen.32:22-32

It is not that God couldn’t overpower Jacob but that Jacob would not concede. It is the display of sincerity that may change the heart of.

II. Source of Power

James 5:17,18

Elijah prayed and it didn’t rain. A closer look at I Kings 17:1

1 Kings 17:1 KJV 1900

And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

1 Kings 18:1 KJV 1900

And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.

The source of Elijahs power was not in himself but in the God to whom he prayed.

He prayed and heaven listened. Yet it was not his prayer that had power but it was his prayer that released the power of heaven.

III. Success of Prayer

The success of prayer is very subjective. Each of measure success by different metrics. How do we measure prayer?

Is it by our desires? Is it by that which makes us happy?

Galatians 6:1 KJV 1900

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

According to the Bible we can see that success of prayer is measures by its kingdom impact.